PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, productivity performance, platform differences, power efficiency, pricing context, and upgrade path so you can see which CPU actually makes more sense.

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

2019

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +12.7% higher average FPS across 49 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+127.6% larger total L3 cache (256 MB vs 113 MB).
✅Costs $8,990 less on MSRP ($3,990 MSRP vs $12,980 MSRP).
✅Delivers 213.4% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 20.0 vs 6.4 PassMark/$ ($3,990 MSRP vs $12,980 MSRP).
✅Draws 280W instead of 350W, a 70W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (22,045 vs 55,000).
❌Older platform position on TR4 with DDR4, while Xeon Max 9480 moves to LGA4677 and DDR5.
❌No AVX-512 support for niche heavy compute workloads where it can matter.

Xeon Max 9480

2023

Why buy it

✅+149.5% higher Geekbench multi-core.
✅Newer platform on LGA4677 with DDR5 support instead of TR4 and DDR4.
✅AVX-512 support for select workstation, AI, and scientific workloads.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen Threadripper 3990X across 49 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Smaller total L3 cache (113 MB vs 256 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 6.4 vs 20.0 PassMark/$ ($12,980 MSRP vs $3,990 MSRP).
❌25% higher power demand at 350W vs 280W.

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

2019

Xeon Max 9480

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +12.7% higher average FPS across 49 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+127.6% larger total L3 cache (256 MB vs 113 MB).
✅Costs $8,990 less on MSRP ($3,990 MSRP vs $12,980 MSRP).
✅Delivers 213.4% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 20.0 vs 6.4 PassMark/$ ($3,990 MSRP vs $12,980 MSRP).
✅Draws 280W instead of 350W, a 70W reduction.

Why buy it

✅+149.5% higher Geekbench multi-core.
✅Newer platform on LGA4677 with DDR5 support instead of TR4 and DDR4.
✅AVX-512 support for select workstation, AI, and scientific workloads.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (22,045 vs 55,000).
❌Older platform position on TR4 with DDR4, while Xeon Max 9480 moves to LGA4677 and DDR5.
❌No AVX-512 support for niche heavy compute workloads where it can matter.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen Threadripper 3990X across 49 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Smaller total L3 cache (113 MB vs 256 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 6.4 vs 20.0 PassMark/$ ($12,980 MSRP vs $3,990 MSRP).
❌25% higher power demand at 350W vs 280W.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen Threadripper 3990X better than Xeon Max 9480?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Ryzen Threadripper 3990X is ahead with a 12.7% average FPS lead across 49 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Xeon Max 9480 pulls ahead with 149.5% better Geekbench multi-core. Ryzen Threadripper 3990X also has the bigger cache pool with 127.6% larger total L3 cache (256 MB vs 113 MB).

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Xeon Max 9480 is the better fit. You are getting 149.5% better Geekbench multi-core, backed by 56 cores and 112 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X is the smarter buy today. Ryzen Threadripper 3990X is $8,990 cheaper on MSRP at $3,990 MSRP versus $12,980 MSRP, and it gives you a 12.7% average FPS lead across 49 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that Xeon Max 9480 is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 149.5% better Geekbench multi-core. It is also 213.4% better value on MSRP (20.0 vs 6.4 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Xeon Max 9480 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2019), a healthier platform with LGA4677 and DDR5 instead of TR4, more multi-core headroom with 56 cores / 112 threads instead of 64/128, and AVX-512 support for heavier modern compute workloads. That should give you a better long-term upgrade path for motherboard, RAM, and future CPU swaps.

Games Benchmarks

Paired with RTX 4090

To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.

Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X Benchmark Check

Xeon Max 9480 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen Threadripper 3990X	Xeon Max 9480
1080p
low	181 FPS	186 FPS
medium	152 FPS	168 FPS
high	131 FPS	135 FPS
ultra	106 FPS	109 FPS
1440p
low	157 FPS	153 FPS
medium	125 FPS	129 FPS
high	102 FPS	98 FPS
ultra	83 FPS	81 FPS
4K
low	85 FPS	71 FPS
medium	72 FPS	63 FPS
high	57 FPS	48 FPS
ultra	46 FPS	40 FPS

Open Ryzen Threadripper 3990X Open Xeon Max 9480

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen Threadripper 3990X	Xeon Max 9480
1080p
low	584 FPS	246 FPS
medium	503 FPS	221 FPS
high	386 FPS	184 FPS
ultra	330 FPS	146 FPS
1440p
low	491 FPS	205 FPS
medium	433 FPS	187 FPS
high	343 FPS	160 FPS
ultra	277 FPS	124 FPS
4K
low	308 FPS	128 FPS
medium	275 FPS	119 FPS
high	235 FPS	103 FPS
ultra	204 FPS	83 FPS

Open Ryzen Threadripper 3990X Open Xeon Max 9480

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen Threadripper 3990X	Xeon Max 9480
1080p
low	681 FPS	815 FPS
medium	563 FPS	738 FPS
high	497 FPS	704 FPS
ultra	428 FPS	624 FPS
1440p
low	582 FPS	725 FPS
medium	488 FPS	652 FPS
high	427 FPS	609 FPS
ultra	368 FPS	548 FPS
4K
low	424 FPS	487 FPS
medium	338 FPS	398 FPS
high	293 FPS	354 FPS
ultra	234 FPS	294 FPS

Open Ryzen Threadripper 3990X Open Xeon Max 9480

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen Threadripper 3990X	Xeon Max 9480
1080p
low	942 FPS	1066 FPS
medium	842 FPS	953 FPS
high	724 FPS	813 FPS
ultra	639 FPS	670 FPS
1440p
low	777 FPS	885 FPS
medium	677 FPS	761 FPS
high	580 FPS	646 FPS
ultra	502 FPS	532 FPS
4K
low	540 FPS	644 FPS
medium	489 FPS	565 FPS
high	429 FPS	494 FPS
ultra	373 FPS	413 FPS

Open Ryzen Threadripper 3990X Open Xeon Max 9480

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen Threadripper 3990X and Xeon Max 9480

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

The Ryzen Threadripper 3990X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 7 February 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Matisse (2019−2020) architecture. It features 64 cores and 128 threads. Base frequency is 2.9 GHz, with boost up to 4.3 GHz. L3 cache: 256 MB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm, 12 nm process technology. Socket: TR4. Thermal design power (TDP): 280 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 79,889 points. Launch price was $3,999.

Xeon Max 9480

The Xeon Max 9480 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 10 January 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Sapphire Rapids HBM (2023) architecture. It features 56 cores and 112 threads. Base frequency is 1.9 GHz, with boost up to 3.5 GHz. L3 cache: 112.5 MB. L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: LGA4677. Thermal design power (TDP): 350 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-4800. Passmark benchmark score: 82,913 points. Launch price was $12,980.

⚡

Processing Power

The Ryzen Threadripper 3990X packs 64 cores / 128 threads, while the Xeon Max 9480 offers 56 cores / 112 threads — the Ryzen Threadripper 3990X has 8 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.3 GHz on the Ryzen Threadripper 3990X versus 3.5 GHz on the Xeon Max 9480 — a 20.5% clock advantage for the Ryzen Threadripper 3990X (base: 2.9 GHz vs 1.9 GHz). The Ryzen Threadripper 3990X uses the Matisse (2019−2020) architecture (7 nm, 12 nm), while the Xeon Max 9480 uses Sapphire Rapids HBM (2023) (10 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen Threadripper 3990X scores 79,889 against the Xeon Max 9480's 82,913 — a 3.7% lead for the Xeon Max 9480. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,961 vs 1,900, a 3.2% lead for the Ryzen Threadripper 3990X that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 22,045 vs 55,000 (85.5% advantage for the Xeon Max 9480). L3 cache: 256 MB on the Ryzen Threadripper 3990X vs 112.5 MB on the Xeon Max 9480.

Feature	Ryzen Threadripper 3990X	Xeon Max 9480
Cores / Threads	64 / 128+14%	56 / 112
Boost Clock	4.3 GHz+23%	3.5 GHz
Base Clock	2.9 GHz+53%	1.9 GHz
L3 Cache	256 MB+128%	112.5 MB
L2 Cache	512K (per core)	2 MB (per core)+300%
Process	7 nm, 12 nm-30%	10 nm
Architecture	Matisse (2019−2020)	Sapphire Rapids HBM (2023)
PassMark	79,889	82,913+4%
Cinebench R23 Multi	64,366	—
Geekbench 6 Single	1,961+3%	1,900
Geekbench 6 Multi	22,045	55,000+149%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Ryzen Threadripper 3990X uses the TR4 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Xeon Max 9480 uses LGA4677 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-3200 on the Ryzen Threadripper 3990X versus DDR5-4800 on the Xeon Max 9480 — the Xeon Max 9480 supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Xeon Max 9480 supports up to 4096 GB of RAM compared to 256 GB — 176.5% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 4 (Ryzen Threadripper 3990X) vs 8 (Xeon Max 9480). PCIe lanes: 88 (Ryzen Threadripper 3990X) vs 80 (Xeon Max 9480) — the Ryzen Threadripper 3990X offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: TRX40 (Ryzen Threadripper 3990X) and C741 (Xeon Max 9480).

Feature	Ryzen Threadripper 3990X	Xeon Max 9480
Socket	TR4	LGA4677
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-3200	DDR5-4800+25%
Max RAM Capacity	256 GB	4096 GB+1500%
RAM Channels	4	8+100%
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	88+10%	80

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Ryzen Threadripper 3990X has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Only the Xeon Max 9480 supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: true (Ryzen Threadripper 3990X) vs VT-x, VT-d (Xeon Max 9480). Primary use case: Xeon Max 9480 targets HPC Server. Direct competitor: Ryzen Threadripper 3990X rivals Core i9-10980XE; Xeon Max 9480 rivals EPYC 9684X.

Feature	Ryzen Threadripper 3990X	Xeon Max 9480
Integrated GPU	No	No
IGPU Model	None	None
Unlocked	Yes	No
AVX-512	No	Yes
Virtualization	true	VT-x, VT-d
Target Use	—	HPC Server

💰

Value Analysis

The Ryzen Threadripper 3990X launched at $3990 MSRP, while the Xeon Max 9480 debuted at $12980. On MSRP ($3990 vs $12980), the Ryzen Threadripper 3990X is $8990 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Ryzen Threadripper 3990X delivers 20.0 pts/$ vs 6.4 pts/$ for the Xeon Max 9480 — making the Ryzen Threadripper 3990X the 103.3% better value option.